Standards. We demand a lot from our teachers, but also, importantly, we demand just as much from our students. Ours is a results-driven business, and we push you to reach your goals.

Creative and resourceful staff. All our teachers are CELTA-qualified, but that´s not enough. We only hire people who show initiative, and have an imaginative approach to what they do.

There is no sixth reason, unless of course you consider sense of humour to be important!

“You don´t have to be blonde and blue-eyed to speak English well.”

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment,abbreviated as CEFR, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasingly, in other countries (for example, Colombia and the Philippines). It was put together by the Council of Europe as the main part of the project “Language Learning for European Citizenship” between 1989 and 1996. Its main aim is to provide a method of learning, teaching and assessing which applies to all languages in Europe.

Common reference levels

The Common European Framework divides learners into three broad divisions that can be divided into six levels:
C Proficient UserC2 Mastery or proficiencyC1 Effective Operational Proficiency or advanced

English learners have the goal of speaking fluently – but how many years of study does it take to reach fluency? Every student is different, and the answer depends on three things: your native language, your natural learning ability, and your level of effort and time invested in learning. Some languages are closer to English in grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure than others – Spanish for example.

Your natural ability to learn languages also impacts how long it takes to become fluent in English. Some students pick up languages easily, while others struggle to make progress. One thing that can help you learn English faster is identifying your “learning style.”

For example, some students learn best through a systematic study of English grammar and vocabulary, with lots of practice exercises. Others may be “visual learners,” who prefer learning English through reading and pictures. Yet others are “auditory learners” who like learning English by listening to movies and music, and by practising it in conversation.

Finally, how long it takes to learn fluent English depends on how much time and effort you put in. A student who takes daily English classes will progress much faster than one who only studies twice a week. Visiting or living in an English-speaking country can improve your English very fast, because you’re surrounded by English and you have to use the language every day. If you can’t go to an English-speaking country, you can still “immerse” yourself in the language by reading in English, watching English-language movies and TV shows, communicating frequently with an English-speaking friend, or taking a total immersion course in your home country.

One final tip – most English learners can understand more English than they can produce, meaning they may be very good at reading and listening, but their speaking and writing skills are weak. This common problem usually results from taking in a lot of English, but not using the English language in practice to express your own thoughts and ideas. Putting your English into practice is one of the quickest ways to learn the language well.

But how long does it take? Forget “Inglés durmiendo”, “Aprenda inglés en 6 meses”, and all the rest of those impossible promises. Learning English takes time: starting at level zero, you should plan on studying in a very dedicated way for between 2 and 3 years. Don´t fool yourself ; there are no easy ways to achieve something this important. Better to begin as soon as you can!